Hat making method and apparatus



June 20, 1933. e. v. MacKINNON HAT MAKING METHOD AND APPARATUS FiledApril 22, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR 4M W. 1% M BY M 34 55m aATTORNEY I June 20, 1933. G. v. MacKlNNON HAT MAKING METHOD ANDAPPARATUS Filed April 22, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet Z79 it INVENTOR BY M a;@221 ATTORNEY Patented June 20, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGEV. MACKINNON, F ELKINS PARK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN B. STETSONCOMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIAHAT MAKING METHOD AND APPARATUS Application filed April 22,

My invention relates to a method of and apparatus for the manufacture ofhat bodies of felt or the like having a relnforced or thickened brimedge, the body and lntegral edge to be sized and blocked in theproduction of finished felt hats.

In accordance with my invention, in the initial formation of the hatbody, by deposit upon a cone, by application of suctlon, of the fur,wool or other felt constltuents, the deposit thereof at the large oropen end of the body is materially increased, yleldlng a band or edgeintegral and homogenous with and materially thicker than the remalnderof the body, whereby, upon subsequent shrinking or sizing, the body withthe ntegral thlckened band or edge shrinks and lncr eases in thicknessyielding a sized body havlng at the edge of the portion destined to formthe br m of the hat an integral enlargement or reinforce; ment,constituting an eventual reinforced brim edge which is plain, single-plyor simple, in the sense that it does not comprise folds or a pluralityof layers worked, welded, welted, felted, or otherwise attached orsecuredto each other. D

In accordance with my invent on the usual perforated cone, upon which 1sdeposited under the influence of suction fur, wool or other fibres toconstitute felt, is modified in structure or form to provide at its openend, or at any suitable region intermediate ts open and closed ends, orat both places, a C]lcumferentially extending perforated recess orchannel to effect a deposit of fur or the like thicker than and integralwith the adjacent portion or portions of the body, to const1tute aftersubsequent sizing or shrinking a defined reinforcement thicker than andintegral wlth the adjacent portion or portions of the sized hat body;more particularly, the effect of the suction applied at the recess orchannel 1s greater than that applied at the ad acent portion or portionsof the cone, as by ut liz ng perforations in the recess or channel WhlCh1931. Serial No. 531,934.

are larger than those in the adjacent portion or portions of the cone.

Further in accordance with my invention, fur or the like, aside fromthat which is distributed or delivered adjacent the cone for usualdeposition thereon, is delivered through a separate or independent path,as through a conduit, and delivered adjacent the revolving cone to amore or less sharply defined zone thereof where, under the influence ofsuction, there is built up locally a defined deposit thicker than andintegral with the adjacent portion or portions of the deposit upon thecone; the suction applied at the aforesaid zone may be and preferably isgreater than that applied at other portions of the cone, as by providingin the zone aforesaid perforations of larger diameter than those of theadjacent portion or portions of the cone; more particularly, the zone towhich fur or the like is separately or independently delivered asaforesaid may be defined or determined by a recess or channel in thecone as aforesaid.

My invention resides in the method and. apparatus of the character andfor the purposes hereinafter described.

For an illustration of some of the various forms my apparatus may takereference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in

which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical elevational and sectional View of apparatus forpracticing my method of producing hat bodies;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal plan View, partly in section, taken on the line22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a cone utilized in accordancewith my invention;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view, on enlarged scale, of the coneat and adjacent the band or border forming channel;

Fig. 5 is an elevational View of the hat body with thickened band orborder;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view, on

enlarged scale, of the band or border and adjacent body;

Fig. 7 is an elevational view of the body and its band after sizing;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view, on enlarged scale, through thereinforced brim edge of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is an elevational view of a modified cone structure having achannel for forming the reinforcement of the rim and/or brim adjacenttheir junction;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view of a hat embodying my invention 5 Fig. 11 isa fragmentary sectional view, on enlarged scale, of a portion of thebrim and its reinforced edge;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary view, on enlarged scale, showing the brim andcrown reinforced at and adjacent their junction.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, to the open upper end of the chamber or drumC, having the two doors 1 and 2 swinging outwardly upon their pivots 3and 4, the fur, wool or other felt-forming fibres are delivered throughthe chute or guiding structure 5 with Which are associated the usualbrush and picker rolls or cylinders 6 and 7 with which may beassociated, as usual, a transversely extending series of steam jets 8for moisten- .ing and blowing the fibres.

At the bottom of chamber C is provided the usual turntablei) rotated bygear 10, driven by any suitable means, meshing with the circular rack orring gear 11 upon the table 9, which has an opening 12 covered by thecone K. Air is drawn through the perforations in the cone and thencethrough opening 12 by suction created by the exhaust fan or pump 13disposed within the sub-base or chamber 14 and driven by any suitablemeans,

such as an electric motor M.

The cone K, as illustrated in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, is provided with acircumferential groove or channel 14 adjacent or immediately above theimperforate inwardly extending flange or ledge 15a, of the imperforat-ebase 15, constituting an abutment for defining the end of the thickeneddeposit in channel 14. The wall of the channel 14 has extendingtherethrongh numerous holes or perforations 16, substantially uniformlydistributed and preferably larger than the holes or perforations 17distributed substantially uniformly over the remainder of the cone abovethe channel 14.

The fur or fibres, passing downwardly from the delivery chute 5 in thechamber C, are drawn to and settle upon the revolving cone K, due to theapplied suction, building up on the cone a hat body A, Figs. 5 and 6,

of loose felt of usual or suitable thickness. At the same time there isdeposited in the channel 14, under the influence of more intensesuction, because of the larger apertures or holes 16 therein or becauseof local application of more intense suction otherwise produced, theband or border B, integral with the body A, and finally, after sizing,constituting a reinforced edge of the hat brim.

By the channel 14 the width of the thick ened edge or band B is quitedefinitely determined, and its lower edge at the flange or ledge 15a iswell defined in regularity and of sufficient uniformity and smoothnessordinarily to require no trimming, cutting or working before or aftershrinkage to size or final dimensions. The band B, as indicated in Fig.6, may, as to its excess in thickness over body A, be offset on theouter side, as effected by and at that upper portion of channel 14 at oradjacent its junction with the cone body 711.

hen the holes 16 are either larger than the holes 17, or of any othersuitable relative size, as equal in diameter to the holes 17, the borderor band B, of greater thickness than the body A and integral therewith,may be formed of fur or other fibres deposited by suction in the channel14, delivered thereto through the conduit or pipe 18, whose inlet end 19is preferably adjacent the chute 5, causing fur or fibres to passthrough the pipe 18 due to the suction of air thercthrough and to bedelivered into or adjacent the groove 14. Deposit of the thickenedborder B by this method involves the delivery of fur or fibres to thecone or its groove 14 through a path distinct from that of the remainderwhich as usual passes downwardly in cham ber C and deposits on allperforated portions of cone K. Fur other than that passing throughconduit 18 is also deposited in the groove 14, as in the case firstdescribed, so that the deposit for the thickened band B is in part andmainly due to the fur delivered by the conduit 18 and in part to furfalling downwardly through the chamber C as delivered through the chute5 independently of the conduit 18.

In either case, by the provision of the channel 14 with its perforations16, or by the conduit 18. or both, the fur is deposited in asubstantially sharply defined region, to form the edge or band B,integral with the body A, and of substantially greater thickness, wen asmuch as two or more times the thickness of the body A as a whole orimmediately adjacent the band B.

\Vhile a channel 14 is preferred, the perforated band-forming Zone maybe the lowor portion of the cone K without channel or recess.

Upon completion of deposit, the doors 1 and 2 are swung outwardly,giving access to the cone for applying wet cloth or fabric over the hatbody, whereupon the cone with the body thereon is removed. The body withits integral band B is then plunged into hot water, removed from thecone, and thereafter sized by usual methods.

As shown, when conduit 18 is employed, it swings out with door 2 onwhich it is sup ported, giving free access to the cone will beunderstood conduit 18 may be otherwise disposed or supported, as fixedlyupon and within chamber C, with its discharge end movable away from thecone or fixed in a position away from the doors 1 and 2 to allow freeaccess to the cone.

The band B may be produced by the larger holes 16 or increased suctionwithout the channel; or by the effect of the channel 14f with suitableintensity or degree of suction; or by the definite local delivery of furor the like to a restricted or defined zone of the cone. Any one or moreof these features is or are effective; preferably all three areemployed.

The band B is simple or plain, or singleply, as distinguished from thecase where the lower or brim forming end of the body A of the thicknessof the body itself. and then folded back upon itself, with or withoutstitching, forming a double-ply edge. worked or felted together, and caried on through the remainder of the usual process of sizing orshrinking. In accordance with my method the thick band is preformed andcomplete before removal of the body from the cone K.

he thickened border B is itself at its free edge left raw, untrimmed oruncut; however, if desired, it may be trimmed or cut more sharply todefine or smooth its lowermost edge, though this has been found to beunnecessary.

The body A, with its integral thickened band B, is then carried throughthe usual sizing or shrinking process for simple hat bodies, the body Aand band both snrinl s ing while increasing in thlckness. This processis continued until there is reached a stage represented by Figs. 7 and8, in which the body A has been reduced in size to that indicated by A,and its band has been re duced in length and increased in thickness asindicated at B. Thereafter the sized body is blocked and finished. Inthis further treatment the band B ordinarily requires no specialtreatment other than that applied to the remainder of the hat.

in Fig. 9, the cone K is provided with a recess or channel 1%, having asin the case of Fig. 3 the holes or perforations 16. This channel may beof any suitable width and lo cated at any suitable position on the conefor procuring a deposit of materially greater thickness than theneighboring parts of the hat body. Here again,'as in the case of thechannel lei of the cone of Figs. 1, 3 and l, there is produced athickener deposit of fur or other fibres effecting a reinforcement orenlargement which is perceptibly locally defined, or abrupt in the sensethat, while it not or need not be sharply or perfectly ab rupt, it isnot merely a thicker portion of a hat body whose thickness changes ortapers gradually, or rather imperceptibly. In this example again, thereis preferably used, though not necessarily, a conduit 18 functioning asdescribed in connection with Figs. 1 and 2. It will be furtherunderstood that the cone K of Figs. 1 and 8 may have in addition to thechannel or recess 14 one or more further channels or recesses located asand where desired, corresponding generally with the channel 14 of Fig.9.

hen a cone is provided with both channels 14 and 14 there is produced ahat having, as illustrated by 10, both a reinforced or thickened brimedge, and a reinforced or thickened region at the junction of the crownand brim.

After the body has been sized, as indicated in Figs. 7 and 8, it isblocked and finished as usual, without need for special treatment of thethickened edge B, which ordinarily requires no cutting, trimming ortooling, though these or other operations may be ap plied, if and whendesirable.

After blocking, the hat takes the form generally indicated in Fig. 10 inwhich, as usual, the brim D extends substantially horizontally from theupstanding crown E.

Ordinarily the treatment of the hat, after blocking to the formindicated in Fig. 10, involves only the usual finishing and pouncing,which may or may not be applied to the reinforced edge B, as may bedesired. The extreme edge of the reinforcement B need not be rounded orcut or otherwise worked to size. Both the final size and the finalfinish of the reinforcement B is ordinarily attained at the completionof the sizing or shrinking operation, the stage indicated in Figs. 7 and8. It will be understood, however, that my invention is not so limited,and that, after sizing, the reinforcement B may be further operated uponin any desired way as, for example, by ironing or pressing the brim D atthe point where it merges into the reinforcement B, effecting somewhatmore abrupt offset of the face of the band B from the face of the brimas more clearly indicated in Fig. 11.

In Figs. 10 and 12, there is indicated the addition of the thickening orreinforcement F as effected for example by the channel 14, Fig. 9, ofboth the brim D and crown E at and adjacent their junction.

The edge reinforcement B, produced as above described, and the same isgenerally true of reinforcements such as F, is most effective; it is, ina mechanical sense, strong; it is homogeneous, and its integral unionwith the brim is homogeneous therewith and of great strength. It issimple and plain in structure, because it is single-ply or a singleelement, and is not composed of or built up from two or more layers orcomponents, and

is devoid of stitching, either temporary or permanent, and requiresafter'initial formation, no turning, folding, working, Welding, weltingor the like. In fact it is elementally simple, and is structurallyformed entirely during the deposit of the hat body as a whole upon thecone; and thereafter it requires no working or treatment, because in theusual sizing or shrinking operation it takes its final form anddimensions, without need for cutting, trimming, rounding or otheroperation.

Because of its characteristics aforesaid, and due to its method ofmanufacture, it is very low in cost, for in its production there isinvolved no folding, stitching, manual felting together or welding ofparts, or any other significant operation.

The reinforcement B or F is homogeneous or jointless throughout, in thesense that it is Without such a joint as is occasioned by more or lesscomplete inter-mingling, Welding or mutual penetration of two or morelayers of felt or like material.

For brevity in the appended claims the term fur includes hairs of furbearing ammals, wool and other fibers, and felt producing materials ingeneral.

Hat brims of the character hereinbefore described are claimed in LettersPatent of the United States No. 1,848,832, granted March 8, 1932, on myapplication Serial No. 531,933, filed April 22, 1931.

lVhat I claim is:

1. Apparatus for producing hat bod es of felt, comprising a perforatedcone havmg a circumferentially extending external perforated channel,and means for exerting suction through the perforations of the cone andchannel.

2. Apparatus for producing hat bodies of felt having defined brim edgesthicker than the adjacent portions of the brim, comprising a perforatedcone terminating at its end in a circumferentially extending externalperforated channel, and means for exertlng suction through theperforations of the cone and channel.

3. Apparatus for producing hat bodies of felt, comprising a perforatedcone having an in'iperforate base, an imperforate inwardly extendingflange on said base, a perforated circumferentially extending externalrecess in said cone terminating at said flange, and

means for exerting suction through the perforations of said cone andrecess.

4. Apparatus for producing hat bodies of felt, comprising a perforatedcone havlng inv termediate its ends a circumferentially extendingexternal perforated channel, and means for exerting suction through theperforations of the cone and the channel.

5, Apparatus for producing hat bodies of felt, comprising a perforatedcone having a circumferentially extending perforated external channel,and means for exerting suction through the'perforations of the cone andchannel, the perforations of said channel being larger than theperforations of the adjacent portion of the cone.

6. Apparatus for producing hat bodies of felt having defined brim edgesthicker than the adjacent portions of the brim, comprising a perforatedcone terminating at its end in a circumferent-ially extending perforatedexternal channel, and means for exerting suction through theperforations of the cone and greater suction through the perforations ofsaid channel, the perforations of said channel being larger than theperforations of the adjacent portion of the cone.

7 Apparatus for producing hat bodies of felt, comprising a perforatedcone having an imperforate base, an imperforate inwardly extendingflange on said base, a perforated circumferentially extending externalrecess in'said cone terminating at said flange, and means for exertingsuction through the perforations of said cone and greater suctionthrough the perforations of said recess.

8. Apparatus for producing hat bodies of felt comprising a perforatedcone, means for delivering fur adjacent the cone, means for exertingsuction through the perforations of the cone, and means forindependently del vering fur from said first named means to acircumferential zone of said cone, whereby there are produced in saidZone deposits of sald fur thicker than and integral with the depositexternal to said zone. k

9. Apparatus for producing hat bodies of felt,compr1 s1ng a revolvingperforated cone having a circumferentially extending per foratedchannel, means for delivering fur adjacent the cone, means for exertingsuction through the perforations of the cone and channel, and means forindependently delivering fur substantially directly to said channel, wiereby there is produced at said channel a deposit thicker than and interal with the deposit external to said channe l.

10. Apparatus for producing hat bodies of felt, comprising a chamber, aperforated cone revolving therein, means for exertin suction through theperforations of said C058, structure for delivering fur to said chambera conduit conducting fur from said structui'e to a circumferential zoneof said cone, whereby there is produced in said zone a deposit thickerthan and integral with the deposit external to said zone, and means forwithdrawin the discharge of said conduit from said con upon completionof deposit thereon.

11. Apparatus for producing hat bodies of felt, comprising a chambenhperforated cone revolving therein, means for exertin suction through theperforations of said cone: structure for delivering fur to said chamber,

a conduit conducting fur from said structure to a zone of said cone, andmeans for exerting suction, greater through said zone than through theadjacent portions of said cone, whereby there is produced in said zone adeposit thicker than and integral with the deposit external to saidzone.

12. Apparatus for producing hat bodies of felt with integral definedbrim edges thicker than the adjacent portions of the brims, comprising aperforated cone, an abutment at the limit of the perforations of thecone, and means for exerting suction through the perforations of thecone with greater suction in a zone immediately adjacent said abutmentwhereby the thickened deposit in said zone has at said abutment asubstantially regularly defined end.

13. Apparatus for producing hat bodies of felt with integral definedbrim edges thicker than the adjacent portions of the brims, comprising aperforated cone terminating in a perforated channel, an abutment at thelimit of the perforations of said channel, and means for exertingsuction through the perforations of the cone with greater suction atsaid chan' n-el, whereby the thickened deposit in said channel has atsaid abutment a substantially regularly defined end.

14:. In the manufacture of hats, the method of producing a hat body,which comprises depositing fur to produce a body, and producing adefined reinforced edge on the brimforming portion by simultaneouslydepositing fur integrally and homogeneously with the body in a definedzone at its edge to a thickness greater than the immediately adjacentbrim-forming portion of said body.

15. In the manufacture of hats, the method of producing a hat body,which comprises depositing fur to produce a body, and producing adefined reinforced edge on the brimforming portion with an end ofdefined regularity by simultaneously depositing fur integrally andhomogeneously with the body in a defined zone at its edge to a thicknessgreater than the immediately adjacent brimforming portion of said body,and substantially sharply defining the free end of said edge.

16. In the manufacture of felt hats, the method which comprisesdepositing fur to produce a body, causing the fur to be deposited, atthe free end of the brim-forming portion of said body, against adefining and limiting surface, and thereafter working the body into astructure whose brim portion conr prises a regularly defined untrimmedfree end.

17. In the manufacture of hats, the method of producing a felt brimhaving a defined reinforced edge thicker than and homogeneous andintegral with the immediately adjacent portion of the brim, whichcomprises depositing fur to produce a body, effecting s1- multaneousdeposit of fur integrally and homogeneously with the body in a definedZone at its edge to a thickness greater than the immediate adjacentbrim-forming portion of said body, and thereafter sizing said body andedge.

18. In the manufacture of hats, the method of producing a felt brimhaving a defined reinforced edge thicker than and homogeneous andintegral with the immediately adj jacent portion of the brim, whichcomprises depositing fur to produce a body, and producing a definedreinforced edge with an end of defined regularityby simultaneouslydepositing fur integrally and homogeneously...

independently conducted from said source,

on the body during its formation in a substantially definite zone ofsaid body to produce a defined reinforced band thicker than andhomogeneous and integral with the immediately adjacent portion of thebody.

20. In the art of manufacture of felt hats, the method which comprisesdepositing fur from a source thereof to produce a body, simultaneouslydepositing a portion of the fur,

independently conducted from said sourcegi on the body during itsformation in a substantially definite zone at its end to produce adefined reinforced edge thicker than and homogeneous and integral withthe immedi ately adjacent brim-portion of the body.

21. In the manufacture of felt hats, the method which comprisesdepositing fur upon a surface to produce a body to be worked into crownand brim portions of a hat, and simultaneously depositing a portion ofthe fur in a defined depression in said surface at its end to athickness greater than that of the immediately adjacent portion of thebrim-forming portion of said body to form a defined band integral andhomoge" neous therewith and adapted to be worked into a definedreinforced brim edge thicker than the immediately adjacent portion ofthe brim and homogeneous and integral therewith.

22. In the manufacture of felt hats, the method which comprisesdepositing fur upon a surface to produce a body to be worked into crownand brim portions of a hat, and

simultaneousl de ositin a ortion of the b fur in a defined depression insaid surface at its end and against an end-defining surface to athickness greater than that of the immediately adjacent portion of thebrimforming portion of said body to form "a defined band, having asubstantially sharply defined end, integral and homogeneous with saidbrim-portion and adapted to be worked into a defined reinforceduntrimmed brim edge thicker than the immediately adjacent portion of thebrim and homogeneous and integral therewith.

GEORGE V. MACKINN ON.

QERTEFEGATE GE QIGRRECTEGN,

Patent No. L915, 0:33. June 29, 1933.

GEORGE V. MeeKENNQN.

it hereby certified that nor epeeers in the printed speeiiieations oithe ehove Failiibfird patent requiring correction as follows: Page 4,lines 8%, $1, and $2, eioim o, strike out the oommo. am: Words theperforations of said *eieg izrg'er than the perforations of the adjacentportion oi the cone":

ine i5 eiaim 12 after "abutment" insert a comma; and Hoe 69, claim forimmediate" read immediately; and that the said Letters Patent should berea-f with these corrections therein that the some may conform to therecord E the ease in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 21st day of November, A. D. 1933.

F. M. Hopkins (Seei) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

